Japanese people protest against Fukushima spill plan after IAEA approval

Tokyo, Jul 5 (EFE).- About a hundred people gathered Wednesday outside the Tokyo headquarters of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), owner of the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, to protest the planned discharge of contaminated and treated water into the sea.

"Assume your responsibility," shouted a woman surrounded by posters calling for protection against radiation and to stop a spill whose safety they doubt. (Camera: MARÍA ROLDÁN).

SHOT LIST: PEOPLE PROTEST AGAINST THE PLAN TO DUMP PURIFIED RADIOACTIVE WATER FROM THE DAMAGED FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT OUTSIDE THE HEADQUARTERS OF TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY (TEPCO), IN TOKYO, JAPAN.

SOUNDBITES: A 88-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER, SAKUKO YOKOTA; AND A 54-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER, YUYA KAMOSHITA (IN JAPANESE).

TRANSLATION:

1. SAKUKO YOKOTA, AGED 88.

- I can't believe it. The IAEA is a nuclear promoter. It is a contaminated water, no matter how much you want to call it treated. With this name change they are only trying to confuse (people). You cannot remove tritium and diluting the water does not change the amount of tritium it contains. I won't forgive them.

2. YUYA KAMOSHITA, AGED 54.

- I don't want them to release it into the sea. They are storing it in tanks right now. I would like them to keep it as it is or increase the number of tanks, but I don't want them to dump it. They are making up an excuse, claiming that it is necessary to release the water into the sea as part of the recovery of Fukushima. But I don't believe it. And I don't think there are many people from Fukushima who want them to do so either. That's a fact.